Spiral chute



Aug. .w 1924.

E. R JOHNSON SPIRAL CHUTE Filed Oct. 30, 1922 6 Sheets-$heet l 2a w 2 5 I. w m f ZW 4 t e j m Wn S n... ro w MU y f, f N .9 x N w m Z w C ,J M m O I R w m Ii |T 5 .l ld.: um IOLI 7 L Z 1 e 6 MU M 4 l 9 En uw. u

Aug. 19 19.241.v

E. R. JOHNSON srnm. CHUTE -Filed oct, so e sheets-Sheet 4 fel W w w WW Aug. 19

E. R.A JOHNSON SPIRL CHUTE Filed oct. Izo 1922 e sheets-sheet 5 I 'ug. 19 E924. l

l E. R. JOHNSON SPIRAL CHUTEv Filed Oct. A 30 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet G Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT f OFFICE. y

EDMUND R. JOr-INsON, or rrrrnennnrnrn, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR To HASLETT CHUTE AND OONVEYOR ooMiJnNY,r or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, n COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SPIRAL CHUTE.

Application vfiled October 30, 1922. Serial No. 597,81Q.

To all whom t may concern.' y y Be it known that I, EDMUND R. JOHN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have' invented a certain new and useful Spiral Chute, of which the following is a speci-k fication.

My invention relates to spiral chutes and more particularly to switches froml andto spiral chutes.

The main purpose of my invention is to provide an improved form of switch at once easy and inexpensive to manufacture and install and efficient in operation. n

A further purpose is to provide an im` proved switch adapted in somewhat modi-,

fied forms to deliver into and froma spiral chute.

A further purpose is to make one section of a spiral chute movable and to connect it or a movable switching chute interchangeably with the adjoining section ofthe spira] chute, viewed as an interchange section.

A further purpose is to have the movable section of a spiral chute hinged at its upper or at its lower end according as the switch is to connect into or from the spiral, but preferably to hinge it at its endaway from the interchange portion of the spiral chute. f y

A further purpose is to v counterweight the hinged section of a spiral chute and theswitching chute, adapting both tok easy placement and removal fromwconnection with the interchange portionof the spiral chute. y

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

I have preferred to illustrate myy inven` tion by but one application to each of the main uses of the invention, namely to feeding from and feeding into a spiral chute, respectively, selecting forms which have proved to be practical, effective and eminently satisfactory and which at the same time well illustrates the principles `ofr my invention. y. f

Figure l is a broken elevationfillustrating myinvention as applied to-a Lswitch leading from a spiral lchute; andk with the spiral chute connected through'.` f

Figure 2 is a top plan of Figure l.

Figure 344 is aside elevation of Figure r upon line 3 3 of Figure 2, but with the hinged section ofthe spiraly chute ,raised and'withthe switching chute connected to the interchangeportion of the spiral chute.

' Figure t is a top plan view illustrating thro-ugh line 8 8 Figure l1 is a section through line 11 l1`r` of Figure 2. y n

Figure l2'is ya'section through line 12 l2 of Figure 2. Figure 13 is ya section through line l8 l3 of Figure 2. v y Figure 1A is a section through line M -lt of Figure 4., f

In all the drawings'like numbers referk toy similar parts.

Referring to the drawingsand describing` in illustrationand not in limitation ,I first describe the invention .in use as avswitch t0 withdraw articles or materials from 'a' spiral chute, as shown in Figures l3 ancl`7-l3 inclusive. They chute 20 is wound aboutthetubul'ar standard 21 and is supported along its yout-y er wall by a spirally-placed succession ofy vertical legs 22 that are in turn carried by successive horizontal members 23. yThese horizon-tal member are radial from the standard and follow the spiral law'of the chute.l They are clamped tothe standard by the Uclamps 24C each of which also clamps the inner end of one of the struts or braces 25 by which one of the (higher) horizontal members above this point is supported. The legs, except in the hinged portion ofthe spiral, are riveted to the respective horizontal members which are maintainedhorizontal byy they diagonal b-races"25` extending downwardly to lower U-clamps 24,.` y

The .body of the spiral chute is of Lsheet steel oriron, the bottom 26 being made concave and the outer portionof the bottom and through line y10 110 i loo outer wall 27 being somewhat higher than Y the inner portion of the bottom and inner wall 28, respectively, to control the centrifugal action of bodies sliding down the chute. The tops rof the chute .walls are finished and strengthened by beading and are stiifened in any suitable way as by being bent.

The movable section 30 of the spiral chute is hinged at its lower end on the rod 31 which is preferably substantially radial and horizontal. y If the movable section be a long one the axis of the hinge must be selected with a view to swinging the free end clear of the standard.

llhen the .upper end of the movable section 30'is in connection with the interchange? portion 39 of the upper spiral (the position of Figures l, 2 and 8), the upper ends of its side walls and bottom are usually spaced somewhat along the spiral from the lower ends of the side walls and bottom of the interchange, as seen in the figures, such spacing being usually unobjectionable. It may sometimes be desirable to have this spacing extremely small and my construction is adapted to obtaining extremely small spacing when it is desirable, the hinge being substantially perpendicular to the lin-e of division between the sections.

The upper ends of the walls and bottom of the movable section 30 are preferably respectively spread and lowered somewhat with respectto the spiral outline by the section above to avoid any catching of boxes or other material from the upper spiral upon these butt ends.

The upper end of the movable section car- -ries on its outer side a bracket 32 to which is fastened the rope 33 passing over the pulley 34 to the counterweight 35. The section is thus counterweighted and adapted to easy placement and removal to and from its position of use as part of the spiral chute.

. rIhe legs 36, 36 of the movable section, um

like theother legs 22, a-re unattached to their supporting horizontal members 23, andv as the outer end of the horizontal member 23 is thus yleft unattached to the outside wall of the spiral chute it is necessary to have some support Ifor it from lateral displacement. This support can be'given to it by the sloping braces 37jand 38 from the adjacent horizontal members which are attached to the fixed portion ofthe spiral chute.

The detail of construction of the movable spiral section and the relation between its freeend and the adj oining` end of the fixed interchange section of the spiral chute are best seen in the sectional detail of Figures 8, 10 and 11. The end 39 ofthe interchange sectionof thespiral chute is rigidly connected to thehorizontal supporting member 23, which is conveniently anv angle, by

ed the vertical foot plate 43.

the vertical plate 40 and the angle 41, the

plate 40 being riveted to the two angles and the upper angle, 41, being riveted to the bottom of the spiral and bent to conform to its curvature. l

The movable spiral ysection 30 carries across its upper end the angle 42 riveted to the section 30 and to which in turn is rivet- When the section'is closed this plate seats or rests upon the horizontal member 23, as best seen in Figure 8. The receiving end of the movable spiral section is thus rigidly supported across its full width by the plate and angle 43 and 42 respectively, and additional stiif ening angles 44 and 45 are riveted to oppo-v a distance this straightening is ordinarily not objectionable, and in the figures I show the contour of the bottom straight at the hinge 31. In particular cases this straightening may not be advisable and in this event I retain the chute curvature at the lower end of the bottom, and bend the ends of the rod 31 to be in respective alignment in the bearings 46 and 47. i

As thus described, the hinged spiral section 30 is adapted to make chute delivery between the upper and lower fixed portions of the spiral when swung down to connect with the interchange portion 39, and when its upper end is swung away from connection with the interchange portion 39 by pivotally raising it on its hinge 31, there is room to shift the switching chute 49 into connection with the interchange portion 39, thus switching the path of boxes, packages, articles, etc., from the upper spiral to a table, floor, receptacle conveyor or other chute, as may be desired.

Though I have described a pivoted spiral chute section and shall describe a pivoted switching chute to interiit when the switching operation is performed, it will be obvious that' in itsbroader aspects my invention is not limited to pivotal and swinging movements but is satisfied with other formsv of movement.

The switchingchute 49 comprises a hinged portion 50 adapted to switch from the spiral chutev and connectingy to vthe upper fixed (interchange) portion of the spiral chute interchangeably with the movable spiral chute section, and a iixed portion 51.

The switching chute is suitably supported by angle legs 52 braced by angles 53. The

upper end or the hinged section 50 is coun' terweighted. Ropes 54 anc 55, attached to brackets 56' and 57 respectively,y connect to the transverse angle 58, and rope 59 from the middle of thisangle passes over the pulley 60 to the counteiweight '61.

The upper end of the hinged'section 50 y has substantially the contour of the lower end of the interchange portion oil the spiral and of the upper end of the movable spiral chute section 30, except that `the upper ends of the movable sections are slightly widened and lowered to insure against any catching upon butt ends, as already mentioned. The seating plate 62 and side angles 63 at the front end of the hinged chute section correspond to the seating plate 43 and stillening angles 45 of the movable spiral chute section, and like the latter are adapted to seat upon the horizontal me1nber28, whenthe spiral chute section is raised and the switch is in place.

Vhere the movable chute sections are intended to swing into and out of position, as in the form illustrated, the switch chute section may be hinged in substantially the same way as the hinged spiral, the metal of the chute section bottom being' bent around the end of the'hinge rod 64 and the bottom being ilattened or curved as desired. rllie rod turns in suitable bearings in the angle supporting legs 52. y

In operation, when the spiral chutesection is connected to the upper portion of the spiral chute, material or products are delivered from the interchange end y39 to the lower portion of the spiral chute through this movable chute spiral section. Vhen the movable spiral section is disconnected and the switching chute Asection is connected to the interchange section, material or products from the upper part ofthe spiral chute will bey diverted to the switching chute and to whatever receiving or other discharging devices may be fed through it.

I now describe my invention in use as al switch to a spiral chute, as shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 14.

The general form of the `spiral chutefis constructed as already described, the spiral chute winding about the tubular kstandard 2l and being supported along itsouter side by a spirally arranged succession of vertical legs 22 that in turn are carried by successive horizontal members 23?, clamped at one end to the standard by the U-clamps 24 and vertically braced to :a'lower U-clamp by diagonal braces 25.

The legs, except in the hinged portion 80', are fastened to the respective horizontal members 23. In the hinged portion 30 where the outer end of the horizontalmeniber is not iiXed tothe correspondingv leg i f ing need, irrespective of 'whether the car- `my purpose to claim'herein all such as come i ywithin thek reasonable spirit and scope of 36 it is braced by sloping members 37 and 38( t0 adjacent lined horizontal supports23.

The yinterchange portion 39 of the spiral, that is, the portion to which the movable spiral' section 30 and the hinged portion of the switching' chute interchangef ably connect, is the lower instead of the upper portion of thefspiral, and the spiral section 30 vis hinged at its upper end instead of at its lower fend'. Likewise, the hinged portion'' ci the switching chuteslopes down when connected to the interchange'instead change chute from the upper spiralchute section. o A;

-When the movable 'spiral section-is swung` fromk connection with the 1 interchange 39 to make room l'or the switchingchute'O andthe latter is swung downto connection with' the interchange, ythrough passage is provided for delivery from the rolls into they lower spiral through the switch section. f lt will be obvious thatl in the first *form .100

kthe kspiral may be tapped at any level to ac-f cord with any existing need and subsequent handling of material diverted from 'the spiral, they presenty invention having todo merely with the means of Vtapping thel chute irrespective of' whether the tapping takes place above or below or yat any particular licor llevel or whether the material withdrawn delivers t0.V a tablea'iloor, another chute yor othercarrier.. f Likewise, in the Second form yit is'obvious thatfthelevel of and ritorni of carrier to the switching chute is immaterial, being merely such aswill bestfaccordwith existrier is a series of rolls 65 as illustrated in the drawings or a'tableor other device and irrespective ci whether the switching chute is located y'above or below or at any particular iioor level." g j f kIt willbe evidentktha't inviewv of kmy disy closure many variations of bothk forms of my invention will vsuggest themselves fto others skilled in the art to meet'the particulai' needs,yto satisfy thewhiin of the designer or to avoid exact copying; and it iS f my invention. v n

Having thus described my invention, ywhat llO `the free end of the section to connect with an end of one of the spiral chutes.

2. The combination of a spiral chute, a second' spiral chute spaced from and lower than therst, a movable chute section adapted with downward movement to unite the spiral chutes constantly connected to one `of them and when moved to leave the other chute end open, a hinge support at the constantly connected end of the section adapting the section to placement and removal from between` the spiral chutes, a counterweight support for the free end of the section,` and a movable adjoining chute adapted interchangeably with the section by downward movement to connect with the opening end of the other of the spiral chutes.

3.` Thecombination of a spira-l chute, -a second'spiral chute spaced from and lower than thelirst, va movable chute section adapted to join the spiral chutes, a movable adjoining chute adapted interchangeably with the section to connect with an end of one of the spiral chutes, a counterweight support for one end of `the adjoining chute adapting it to easy placement and removal .from connection with said end of one of the spiral chutes and a stop common to both sections and supporting them when in connected position. f i

4. -The combination of a spiral chute, a second spiral chute spaced from and lower' than the first, a swinging chute section adapted to join the spiral chutes, a swinging adjoining chute adapted interchangeably with the section to connect with an end of one of the spiral chutes, hinge supports for the ends of the chutes and counterweight supports for the other end of the adjoining chutes, vadapting to easy placement and remodyal from connection with said spiral chute en 5. The combination ,of a spiral chute, a second spiral chute spaced from and lower than the iirst, a swinging chute section adapted to lower to connect the spiral chutes and to be raised to ropen 'the end of one chute, a hinge support at one end of the section anda counterweight support at the other end of the section, adapting it to easy placement and removal Jfrom uniting the spiral chutes.

6. The combination of a spiral chute, a

second spiral chute spaced therefrom and lower than the first, a movable intermediate spiral chute section adapted tojoin between the two spiral chutes and an inlet section for they lower chute movable with respect to it and adapted interchangeably with the intermediate chute section to connect with the upper end of the lower chute.

7. The combination of a spiral chute, a second spiral chute spaced from and lower than the iirst, a movable chute section adapted to connect the spiral chutes, a pivot near the upper end of the section adapting it to be shifted from between the spirals, and a movable chute adapted interchangeably with the section to connect with the lower spiral chute.

8. The combination of' a spira-l chute, a second spiral chute spaced from and lower than the first, a swinging chute section adapted to connect the spiral chutes and pivoted near its upper end and a swinging inlet chute adapted interchangeably with the swinging section to connect with the lower spiral chute. 7

9. The combination of a spiral chute, a

second spiral chute spaced from and lower than the first, a movable chute section adapted to connect the spiral chutes, a pivot near the upper end of the section adapting it to be moved pivotally from between the spirals, a counterweight support of the lower end of the section, a movable chute adapted interchangeably with the section to connect with the lower spiral chute land a hinge support at the upper end of the movable chute.

10. The combination of a spiral chute, a second spiral chute spaced from and lower than the irst, a movable chute section adapted to connect the spirals, a pivotal support for the section at its lower end adapting the section to pivotal placement andy removal from connection with the upper spiral, and

apivoted adjoining chute adapted interchangeably with the section to connectwith the upper spiral.

ll. rlhe combination of a pair of spiral chute sections, anintermediate pivoted spiral section adapted to connect the two, and a pivot for the intermediate section, the bottom of the two sections being normally concaved and being straightened at the pivot to permit the bottom to be turned about the pivot. Y

12. A spiral chute having a concave bottom and a movable section therein, in combination with a` hinge pintle about which the metal of' the bottom of the chute is turned toorm a hinge.

,EDMUNDR JoriNsoN. 

